Research Findings Fridays - personality and preference for rounded versus angular shapes

Today I present a new weekly event I will call Research Findings Fridays.  A little of my personal history is needed to understand why I decided this.

During my degree in psychology, I worked as an assistant in two labs - a behavioural neurobiology lab (where I eventually wrote my thesis) and a cognitive human development lab.  During this time, I discovered my love for the scientific method.

The work and research that went into developing experiments that could potentially shed some light on our questions was consuming.  The experiments themselves were always very exciting to conduct due to the ever-present notion that the data being collected would either support or falsify our hypothesis.  By analyzing the data we could start drawing conclusions or making adaptations all driven by this unquenchable thirst for knowledge.  And what I realized was that the answers are never that clear and that this search for answers and understanding could be a never ending quest.  Instead of frustrating me, it humbled me - a lot.  

This experience changed me, it became part of me and influenced the way I saw the world.  It still does, and it affects my relationship with interior design.  

This is why I've decided to designate fridays to discussing scientific research findings that impact the area of interior design.  I do this on my own already because I think its important to keep expanding your knowledge and stay on top of your field (especially when you are providing a service like mine) - but also because I am truly fascinated by what's out there.  Undoubtedly, a lot of the articles I will present will come from the area of environmental psychology, but surely from other fields as well because interior design is influenced by so much.

So today I am sharing: 

Zhang, Y., Feick, L. and Price, L. (2006). The impact of Self-Construal on Aesthetic Preference for Angular Versus Rounded Shapes. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32 (6), 794 - 805.

This study examines whether self construal (defined as the extent to which an individual perceives him/herself as being connected or distinct from others) impacts their preference for angular versus rounded shapes.  What I really liked about this study is that they also examined this from a cross cultural perspective, which I think is so important when making conclusions about individuals.

They found that people with independent self construals perceived angular shapes as more attractive and rounded shapes as less attractive than those with inter-dependant self construals.  Cultural differences are also consistent with this general finding.  Those from countries high on individualism (i.e. USA, Canada, Australia, Western Europe...)  prefer angular shapes than those from countries high on collectivism (ie. Japan, Korea, Scandinavia, Argentina, Egypt...).  Their findings are consistent with previous findings about aesthetic preference to shapes.  

chair by Cabot Wrenn / table by Erik Organic

What does this mean for interior design? Well, it seems pretty clear that chances are, if you perceive yourself to be highly independent, you would prefer an interior scheme that boasts straight lines. If you have a collectivist view of yourself, or to see yourself as part of a larger system, then chances are you may prefer an interior scheme that is characterized by curves and rounded elements. Look around your place right now. Are you surrounded by straight lines or curvy curves? Or would you say it's a balance of both? Is this representative of your personal views of yourself? 

Food for thought. 

 Have a lovely weekend! 

Xx. Holly